The Honorable Matt Hall, Speaker of the House — Support for Proposed SmartZone Extension Legislation (January 5, 2026)

Summary

This is a letter dated January 5, 2026, to The Honorable Matt Hall, Speaker of the House, Re: Support for Proposed SmartZone Extension Legislation, on behalf of Velocity, the MEDC-designated SmartZone serving Macomb County. The letter expresses strong support for the proposed legislation (Rep. Robinson - HB 5031) to extend Michigan's SmartZone program. It states that in 2024 alone Velocity supported hundreds of entrepreneurs and small businesses, and that companies Velocity has worked with are projected to attract more than $30 million in private and public investment in 2025. The letter closes with the name Paula J. Macpherson.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Full text

January 5, 2026

The Honorable Matt Hall
Speaker of the House
Michigan State Capitol
P.O. Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909

Re: Support for Proposed SmartZone Extension Legislation

Dear Mr. Speaker,

On behalf of Velocity, the MEDC-designated SmartZone serving Macomb County, I am writing
to express our strong support for the proposed legislation (Rep. Robinson - HB 5031) to extend
Michigan’s SmartZone program. Passage of this legislation is critical to sustaining and growing
Michigan’s innovation economy and ensuring that entrepreneurs and high-growth companies
across the state continue to have access to the resources they need to succeed.

SmartZones serve as a cornerstone of Michigan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. They provide early-
stage and scaling businesses with vital coaching, access to capital, connections to expert
consulting services, and linkages to regional and statewide ecosystem partners. For many
entrepreneurs—particularly those in advanced manufacturing, defense, mobility, and emerging
technologies—these resources would otherwise be difficult or impossible to access without the
SmartZone framework.

In Macomb County, Velocity has demonstrated the tangible economic impact of the SmartZone
model. In 2024 alone, Velocity supported hundreds of entrepreneurs and small businesses
through structured incubator and accelerator programming, technical assistance, mentorship, and
investor readiness initiatives. These efforts directly contributed to company formation, job
creation, and commercialization activity throughout the county. More information about our
programs and outcomes can be found at www.mivelocity.com.

Looking ahead, the importance of SmartZone continuity becomes even clearer. In 2025,
companies that Velocity has worked with are projected to attract more than $30 million in
private and public investment into Macomb County. This level of capital attraction is not
accidental—it is the result of sustained, coordinated support made possible through the
SmartZone designation and its associated resources.

Extending the SmartZone program provides the stability necessary for long-term planning,
public-private partnerships, and investor confidence. Without an extension, Michigan risks
disrupting proven economic development infrastructure at a time when competition for talent,
capital, and innovation is increasing nationally and globally.
We respectfully urge you to support and pass the proposed SmartZone extension legislation.
Doing so will reaffirm Michigan’s commitment to entrepreneurship, innovation, and inclusive
economic growth—ensuring communities like Macomb County can continue to generate jobs,
attract investment, and support the next generation of Michigan-based companies.

Thank you for your leadership and continued support of Michigan’s innovation economy. Please
do not hesitate to reach out if I can provide additional information or serve as a resource.

Sincerely,

Paula J. Macpherson
VELOCITYǀ City of Sterling Heights
6633 Eighteen Mile Rd ǀ Sterling Heights, MI 48314
Website:www.mivelocity.com
P: 586.604.9940




CC:
Rep. Mike Hoadley, Chair of Economic Competitiveness
Rep. Karl Bohnak, Vice Chair of Economic Competitiveness

Macomb Delegation:
Rep. Ron Robinson
Rep. Joseph Aragona
Rep. Jay DeBoyer
Rep. Kimberly Edwards
Rep. Jaime Greene
Rep. Thomas Kuhn
Rep. Mike McFall
Rep. Donavan McKinney
Rep. Denise Mentzer
Rep. Josh Schriver
Rep. Alicia St. Germaine
Rep. Douglas Wozniak
Rep. Mai Xiong
Sen. Stephanie Chang
Sen. Kevin Hertel
Sen. Ruth Johnson
Sen. Veronica Klinefelt
Sen. Daniel Lauwers
Sen. Michael Webber
Sen. Paul Wojno


File and source

File

2026-02-19_testimony_hb-5031-paula-macpherson-velocity_62902.pdf

Size

135,674 bytes

SHA-256

62b59f24eab6302273305b5df4b73d3aed0b7bed0ae47f839645d67e81fb6338

Our copy

2026-02-19_testimony_hb-5031-paula-macpherson-velocity_62902.pdf

Original

No public link identified.